1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to slide fasteners and more particularly to end stop devices therefor. The slide fastener is provided with a slider receiprocally movable for opening and closing the same, the reciprocal movement of the slider being limited by stop members mounted on the top and bottom ends of the fastener.
2. Prior Art
There has been proposed a variety of fastener end stops, some being made of metal and others of plastic. Those made of thermoplastic materials to which the invention appertains are typically disclosed for example in Japanese patent Publication Nos. 48-37421 and 49-36975, in which a piece of thermoplastic film or monofilament is attached by welding thermally or ultrasonically to an inner edge of a slide fastener tape, so that the film, fastener elements and tape yarns are integrally joined together. Such conventional end stops are however not entirely satisfactory in that their bondage to the fastener is reduced particularly where the fastener tapes are formed by different, relatively long filament yarns which present a slippery tape surface. Other difficulties of the prior art devices are found in that when end stops are attached to woven or knitted tapes having surface irregularities, the thermoplastic resin of the end stops tends to produce objectionable burrs or fins which would not only mar the product value but also present a fear for physical injury to the user, and in that when end stops are applied only to one side of the tape, their anchorage thereto is insufficient to withstand impinging forces exerted by the slider.